Lancaster DV 289 from 101 Sqn.

[Peglar]

Hello,

could somebody help me with informations to the following loss (Place of Crash etc.):

Night 26./27.11.1943, Lancaster, DV 289 from 101 Sqn.

Thanks

Peglar

[Ex Shack]

Hi Peglar
From RAF Bomber Command Losses Vol 4, W R Chorley, the a/c coded SR-T, took off from Ludford Magna on an op to Berlin. It crashed at Heuchelheim but the reason is not given The crew were :-
F/Sgt J G Bennett,RCAF KIA
Sgt R W Hodgson KIA
F/Lt F G T Collins KIA
F/Sgt M J Kennedy,RCAF KIA
Sgt H Feeney, KIA
F/O G L Spofford RCAF POW
Sgt G North, KIA
Sgt A McKeenan POW
Spofford was the Specialist equipment operator and he died in Barth Vogelsang on 21/7/44, he is buried in Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery, the rest who died lie in Durnbach War Cemetery. Chorley points out that there several locations in Germany named Heuchelheim
Regards
Dick

[Icare9]

From Tony Woods Combat Claims website, the only nightfighter active that night was as follows:
Night: 26-27. November 1943
R.A.F. Bomber Command: BERLIN & STUTTGART

26.11.43 Major Wilhelm Herget Stab I./NJG 4 Lancaster  S.E. Trier: 5.200 m. 19.40 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.51
26.11.43 Major Wilhelm Herget Stab I./NJG 4 Lancaster  N.E. Frankfurt-am-Main: 5.000 m. 20.06 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.52
26.11.43 Major Wilhelm Herget Stab I./NJG 4 Lancaster  N.E. Frankfurt-am-Main: 5.000 m. 20.08 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.Fo.

I don't have the info on all the losses that night, there may be others due to flak or as in your case, unknown.
101 Sqn as you probably aware was a Special Operations unit with an extra (usually German speaking) crew member who would try to decoy the nightfighters away by broadcasting as if he were a German controller and send them elsewhere.
Hope this adds a little. 3 shot down for a Berlin raid sounds very low, so they obviously did a grand job diverting fighters away, if that's some consolation.

[Peglar]

Dear Dick/Icare9, thanks this helps a lot.

Greetings


Peglar

[Icare9]

I think there is something wrong with my information. Having input 26 Nov 1943 and 27 Nov 1943 into Lost Bombers, there are 68 recorded bomber losses. I think there must be more than 1 nightfighter so will recheck and find out more if I can